With the Speaktoit virtual assistant app launching for the Android platform at the same time the release of Apple’s Siri was set to dominate the news cycle, the initial PR strategy was to identify and pitch hundreds of key reporters from the angle that Speaktoit was a more-than-capable “Siri for Android users” and available as a free download as Siri launched.

Technique and Results

When the dust settled, Speaktoit received over 150 media pieces in the first few days of its launch, including coverage in The New York Times, Business Insider, The Wall Street Journal, PC Magazine, Lifehacker, and Computerworld.

After becoming the top-rated virtual assistant on Android and with the company’s subsequent evolution into API.AI, the strategy shifted towards highlighting the platform as a uniquely capable tool for developers working in the chatbot and connected car spaces.

Careful research of business and IT media contacts informed pitches that capitalized on relevant industry trends, from bots to advances in natural language understanding to machine learning. Creating, pitching, and placing thought leadership articles helped carry momentum during slower news cycles, helping the company gain visibility for VC. Clement | Peterson was also earned coverage for API.AI customers, coordinated briefings with industry analysts, and secured conference speaking opportunities sans-sponsorship (including at Connected Car and Cisco Live).